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Lowering the humidity in a humidor

cholmes8310cholmes8310 Posts: 1,585
in Cigar 101

I have two humidors, one 20 count for the office and a 50 count for the house.  The 20 count has a digital hygrometer, and the 50 count has a built-in analog hygrometer.  Both humidors have been staying in the 73% humidity range ever since I purchased and seasoned them.  I calibrated both hygrometers last weekend to see if the readings were just high, but they still show 73% humidity.  How can I lower the humidity in my humidors?  I would like to get it to around 67%.  I have tried taking the cigars out, and leaving them open for a day.  I also only use propylene glycol to fill my pucks, which I thought would lower the humidity to around 70% at least. 

Any advice would be appreciated.

Comments

  • 0 That Guy 00 That Guy 0 Posts: 188 ✭
    Welcome! - I only use beads by Heartfelt Industries and have yet to try any other method so take my advice for what it's worth. The beads are literally fool proof. They release moisture if your RH gets low and absorb moisture when it starts to climb, can't get any easier then that! Buy 65% beads and charge them by soaking them with distilled water, shake out the excess water and lay them to bed inside your humidor. Depending on how your humidor handles the beads you may have to charge 100% of the beads to get your desired RH or charge 50-60% of the beads to lower it.

    For example I bought a tube and a puck of 65% beads and was charging mine to about 70% but the humidity, for whatever reason, was sticking right around 63%. I then charged them all the way to 100%, literally laying them down in a bowl of distilled water and letting them completely soak. Now my humidor sits at 66%.

    I'm sure your 67% target could be met as well by purchasing 70% beads and under charging them. Again take it for what its worth and there will be more on here to help you.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    cholmes8310:
    I also only use propylene glycol to fill my pucks,
    this will kill those foam thingies.

    i also will put a good word in for the beads.
    fort a more immediate fix, try putting in a bit of spanish cedar that is not seasoned. it shoudl draw out some humidity.
    its only a temporary fix though.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • cholmes8310cholmes8310 Posts: 1,585

    kuzi16:
    cholmes8310:
    I also only use propylene glycol to fill my pucks,
    this will kill those foam thingies.

    i also will put a good word in for the beads.
    fort a more immediate fix, try putting in a bit of spanish cedar that is not seasoned. it shoudl draw out some humidity.
    its only a temporary fix though.

    Interesting... the propylene glycol is what my B&M recommended for the pucks.  Guess you just can't trust anyone trying to make a buck! haha.  I'll look into the beads unless anyone has any more ideas...

    Thanks for the info so far.

  • 0 That Guy 00 That Guy 0 Posts: 188 ✭
    It all works so your B&M guy is right but for the easiest most care free way to maintain RH I'd go with beads or Boveda Packs. The packs however only work for x amount of months then you have to toss them and buy new ones. The beads you just recharge with distilled water and their ready to go again.

    I had a B&M guy tell me not to buy a humidor until I truly knew that I was going to be smoking for the long haul. He acted like I was crazy for wanting to buy and maintain one after I admitted I had only been smoking cigars for a few weeks. I was literally told that they were a pain in the ass and to go smoke for a year or two and then think about a humidor. I took his advice, found this board learned about beads and haven't had to touch my new glass top humidor in 2 weeks since putting them in. Temperature 69.6 degrees - RH 66%...No complaints here
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    cholmes8310:

    kuzi16:
    cholmes8310:
    I also only use propylene glycol to fill my pucks,
    this will kill those foam thingies.

    i also will put a good word in for the beads.
    fort a more immediate fix, try putting in a bit of spanish cedar that is not seasoned. it shoudl draw out some humidity.
    its only a temporary fix though.

    Interesting... the propylene glycol is what my B&M recommended for the pucks.  Guess you just can't trust anyone trying to make a buck! haha.  I'll look into the beads unless anyone has any more ideas...

    Thanks for the info so far.

    when i used a puck i used the PG solution as well. but it wasnt exclusive. 90% of the time i would fill it with water. the other 10% of the time would be with that stuff.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • adamkhaliladamkhalil Posts: 80
    Since ccom doesn't sell the heartfelt ( although they do offer others) i think it wouldn't be unfair to mention that until tommorow you can get 10% of at heartfelt's website becuase they are down for maintenance or something or other. (Orders start shipping 6/8 i believe). I just ordered some beads because i was hitting 78% (!!!!) and was tired of 2 days with my humidifying puck in, 2 days out to keep it around 70.

    (Please feel free to let me know if i'm violating any forum ettiquitte by pointing to an outside vendor)
  • bigharpoonbigharpoon Posts: 2,963 ✭✭✭
    cholmes8310:

    I have tried taking the cigars out, and leaving them open for a day. 

    If you leave your humidor open for a whole day and the RH is still high either you live in a very moist environment or your hygrometers are off. When I open my humidor I can see the RH drop in the minute or two it's open. Food for thought.
  • cholmes8310cholmes8310 Posts: 1,585
    bigharpoon:
    cholmes8310:

    I have tried taking the cigars out, and leaving them open for a day. 




    If you leave your humidor open for a whole day and the RH is still high either you live in a very moist environment or your hygrometers are off. When I open my humidor I can see the RH drop in the minute or two it's open. Food for thought.


    I can see mine drop that quickly as well. I leave it open for about 8 hours, it drops to around 50%. I put the cigars back in it and close it, and it's back to 73% within a day. I left it open all night Friday, put the cigars back in yesterday, and now I'm at 71%. I'll just keep an eye on it until I can get some beads. I'm within the correct range, so it's more of a personal preference than a concern.
  • SlickRSSlickRS Posts: 44
    cholmes8310:
    bigharpoon:
    cholmes8310:

    I have tried taking the cigars out, and leaving them open for a day. 

    If you leave your humidor open for a whole day and the RH is still high either you live in a very moist environment or your hygrometers are off. When I open my humidor I can see the RH drop in the minute or two it's open. Food for thought.
    I can see mine drop that quickly as well. I leave it open for about 8 hours, it drops to around 50%. I put the cigars back in it and close it, and it's back to 73% within a day. I left it open all night Friday, put the cigars back in yesterday, and now I'm at 71%. I'll just keep an eye on it until I can get some beads. I'm within the correct range, so it's more of a personal preference than a concern.
    You have a couple choices. You can add cigars to you humidor. Additional cigars will take away from the humidity. Or after leaving it open and empty over night. Put the cigars back in without any humidification device and pay attention to the %. When it drops down to where you like it then add the beads at 50% saturation. You should be fine. I hope this helps.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    SlickRS:
    cholmes8310:
    bigharpoon:
    cholmes8310:

    I have tried taking the cigars out, and leaving them open for a day. 

    If you leave your humidor open for a whole day and the RH is still high either you live in a very moist environment or your hygrometers are off. When I open my humidor I can see the RH drop in the minute or two it's open. Food for thought.
    I can see mine drop that quickly as well. I leave it open for about 8 hours, it drops to around 50%. I put the cigars back in it and close it, and it's back to 73% within a day. I left it open all night Friday, put the cigars back in yesterday, and now I'm at 71%. I'll just keep an eye on it until I can get some beads. I'm within the correct range, so it's more of a personal preference than a concern.
    You have a couple choices. You can add cigars to you humidor. Additional cigars will take away from the humidity. Or after leaving it open and empty over night. Put the cigars back in without any humidification device and pay attention to the %. When it drops down to where you like it then add the beads at 50% saturation. You should be fine. I hope this helps.
    adding cigars to my humidor will actually make it spike UP.

    i keep my humidor at 65%. since cigars hold the RH a bit from the shop or from where i ordered from, and since most keep their humidity at 70%, my humidor will go up. Adding cigars will not automatically lower the RH.

    if you have beads just take em out for a day or two and let them dry out. leave the humi closed. when the RH gets to where you want it, put the beads in at 20% charged.

    if you dont have beads.... this struggle with humidity will be more difficult.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
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